Wisconsin State Journal from Madison, Wisconsin • 41

Wisconsin State Journal Striking it rich SUNDAY MAY 28, 2006 Pro golf Scoreboard Outdoors F2 F9 f10 ft. Dwayne Roloson, right, makes 32 saves as the Oilers become the first eighth seed to reach the Stanley Cup finals. PAGE F2 Sports editor Greg Sprout 608-252-6170 gsproutmadison.com INSIDE: CLOSE SHAVE LIFTS SUGAR RIVER IN WIAA GIRLS SOCCER. PAGE F8 LEADER OF THE Indianapolis 500 When, where: Noon today, Indianapolis. TV: WKOW (Ch.

27). Radio: WTLX (100.5 FM). Inside: Lineup. F6 tLJai IK ted by pupils and rivals, UW men's track an coach Ed Nuttycombe has built a dynasty. i i By ANDY BAGGOT abaggotmadison.com 608-252-6175 ometimes the most telling analysis can come from someone on the outside looking in, and so it goes with the reluctant legend and his dynasty in our midst i )' hi at I The 23 years that Ed Nuttycombe has been the men's track and t.

field coach at the University of Wisconsin are layered with achievements large and extra-large. The Badgers have won 21 Big Ten Conference championships during that 14 time. Only Harry Gill, who coached track at Illinois from 1904 to '29 and 1931 to '33, has more in league history (22) than Nuttycombe. UWhas won nine of the last 11 indoor tides, nine of the last 12 outdoor championships and claimed the Big Ten "Triple Gown" cross country, indoor track and outdoor track tides in the same school year eight times in the last 11 seasons. The Badgers finished off their third consecutive triple earlier this month.

Speaking of sweeps, Nuttycombe has been the Big Ten indoor and outdoor coach mff 1 A i 1 I -V-H GREG ANDERSON UW sports information Vol of the year for three consecutive years, giving him 16 such citations in his career. Among those on the outside looking in is Minnesota coach Phil Lundin, who uses the words "envy" and "gracious" and "pragmatic" to explain DARR0N CUMMINGS Associated Press "Hopefully, we'll at least make Turn 1," said Indy 500 pole-sitter Sam Hornish who has crashed out of three races and failed to finish more than 196 of the 200 race laps in six starts. Front runners The top contenders to win today's Indy 500 are all up front. By MIKE HARRIS Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS Forget about Danica Patrick, Michael Andretti and all those other drivers back in the pack today. After several years of what had to be considered a wide-open race, the real contenders in the 90th edition of the Indianapolis 500 will be easy to spot They're all right up front.

With pole-winner Sam Hornish two-time winner Helio Castroneves and defending champion Dan Wheldon dominating the speed charts all month, it'll be tough for anyone to break up their front-row party. Hornish, in particular, has been unmatched since practice opened May 9, topping the speed chart in all but one session before easily winning the pole with a four-lap average of 228.985. Under normal circumstances, that would make an overwhelming favorite of the two-time IRL IndyCar Series champion. But Homish's history of bad luck at the Brickyard means he has to at least share that honor with Marlboro Team Penske teammate Castroneves and Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Wheldon. "After six years of not doing it right here, I've got to prove I can get it done," said Hornish, who has crashed out of three races and failed to Please see INDY, Page F6 Coca-Cola 600 When, where: 4:40 p.m.

today, Concord, N.C. TV: WMSN (Ch. 47). Radio: WTSO (1070 AM). Inside: Lineup.

F6 Long race has shortfalls Small fuel tanks and tire concerns make the grueling Nextel Cup Coca-Cola 600 even more trying. By GEORGE DIAZ Orlando Sei.tinel CONCORD, N.C. The demands today involve much more than making left turns with cars buzzing by you at speeds more than 150 mph. The Nextel Cup Coca-Cola 600 is the NASCAR equivalent of a grinding marathon mixed in with a quirky stack of logistical obstacles. Expect blisters on the brain instead of the feet.

The race will stretch the patience and expertise of crew chiefs, who have to adjust to the dramatic effect of performance and handling in a race that starts in daylight in the late afternoon and ends about five hours later, long after darkness has enveloped Lowe's Motor Speedway. It will push the limits of pit crews, who will bounce over the wall more often than usual because of a NASCAR mandate requiring teams to use 14-gallon fuel tanks instead of the standard 22-gallon tanks. And it will place inordinate demands of strength and stamina on drivers in a race that will last 600 miles and 400 laps. Please see COCA-COLA, Page F6 why Nuttycombe has built one of the most dominant programs in modem Big Ten history. "They found a formula there at Wisconsin that a lot of people try to emulate, but few are able to really follow through with," Lundin said.

"No. 1, Ed's done an excellent job in maintaining the integrity of the distance running tradition, which is so strong in Madison. They've had some outstanding distance coaches, but that's changed over the years." Lundin is referring to the work of cross country coaches and track assistants Martin Smith (1983 to '98) and Jerry Schumacher. Under Schumacher, the Badgers have won seven straight Big Ten titles and are the Please see NUTTYCOMBE, Page F3 "He knows what he's talking about. He knows every event.

He's just a real fun coach and you know he knows what he's talking about. So, you sit and listen." AL0NZ0 MOORE I if f1 Triple and long jump specialist, on coach Ed Nuttycombe Ml Detroit caught in Miami vise 4 NBA playoffs Best-of-seven conference finals Saturday's result Miami 98, Detroit 83 (Heat lead 2-1) Today's game Phoenix at Dallas, 7:30 p.m. (Series tied 1-1) 1 Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal give the Heat a series lead they hope not to lose like in 2005. By TIM REYNOLDS Associated Press MIAMI The 12-point lead Miami held minutes earlier was whittled to a single point, and Antonio McDyess rose for a dunk that would have given the Detroit Pistons the lead and all the momentum. Dwyane Wade chose that moment to take over.

"Guys look at me and say, 'It's your time Wade said. "That's all you need." I le blocked McDyess' dunk try, then had a three-point play 8 seconds later to end a huge Detroit run. The Heat went on to beat the Pistons 98-83 on Saturday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. 7 "Play of the game," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. Heck, it might have been the biggest play of Miami's season.

Wade scored 35 points, O'Neal added 27 points and 12 rebounds, and they combined to shoot 24-for-32 from the floor for the Heat, who find themselves in the same situation they were in a year ago up 2-1 over the Pistons in the East finals, two wins from Please see MIAMI, Page F2 WILfHLDO Ltt Associated Press Dale Davis and his Pistons teammates failed to contain Heat's Shaquille O'Neal, who scored 27 points Saturday..